1. Field of Invention
The resent invention relates to electrical and data services modules, specifically, electrical and data services modules for use in office and home workstations.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the office and the home become more dependent upon electrical and data equipment, such as computers and their associated peripheral devices, fax machines, copiers and other equipment, the need for additional electrical and data receptacles is readily apparent.
Prior methods of providing additional electrical and data receptacles include power strips which were xe2x80x9cdaisy-chainedxe2x80x9d together in a manner in which the power cord plug of one outlet strip is plugged into another power strip, or systems which incorporated additional receptacles into a work surface or a piece of furniture. However, both of these approaches present several problems.
Chains of power strips are unsightly as well as inconvenient since each receptacle, and each power strip, is limited in its electrical loading by its current rating, such that connection of many more pieces of electrical and data equipment than anticipated could overload such circuits and inconveniently trip the circuit breakers thereof. Furthermore, chains of power strips require large amounts of floor space, which could be used for other furniture or other devices. Incorporation of additional electrical and data receptacles in a work surface or a piece of furniture limits the placement of the electrical and data equipment. Additionally, each piece of equipment has a relatively short power cord and the receptacles included in the work surface or piece of furniture are not movable, thus one must move the equipment to meet the receptacles.
Another approach, which is similar to the incorporation of the receptacles within the furniture, is the use of a device in which a housing is permanently located within a work surface with a rotatable receptacle module disposed therein such that the rotatable module is rotated to expose the receptacles when needed. In a similar vein, other devices may include a cover over the receptacles which is flush with a work surface and is flipped up to reveal the receptacles when additional receptacles are needed. These devices, as with incorporating the receptacles in the work surface, are permanently located, thus the equipment must be moved closer to the receptacles for electrical connection.
Another structure used to provide additional receptacles is a module that is placed on a work surface edge with the edge xe2x80x9cclampedxe2x80x9d between the arm portions of the module. While this module may provide additional outlets to locations of the work surface near the edge thereof, this structure would not be suitable for locations on a work surface adjacent a wall or modular panel of a workstation.
A similar module also manufactured by Electric-Cable Assemblies, is xe2x80x9cclampedxe2x80x9d around an edge of the work surface. This module utilizes a thin extension placed between an edge of the work surface and a vertical wall, and a brace attached to the extension and extending to the underside of the work surface to provide a stable mounting mechanism for the module. While this module may provide additional receptacles, moving the module requires a user to remove the brace before moving the module and extension to a different location, followed by reattaching the brace, such that relocating the module is difficult.
Yet another approach is to place a hemispherical shaped module, having additional electrical or data receptacles, in a grommet hole in a work surface. Such a module is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,426. The module may comprise two halves, which are joined by protrusions extending from a back surface to form one structure that is inserted in a round grommet hole in a work surface. If each half were placed in a channel or space, the protrusions extending from the back surface thereof would prevent the module half from abutting a vertical surface. Additionally, the hemispherical structure would prevent secure placement in a channel or space and the module half would rock right and left as a user plugged into or removed a plug from the receptacle.
In light of the difficulties associated with the prior approaches, what would be desirable is a device including electrical and data receptacles, which is easily located and moved.
An electrical and data services module to provide access to additional electrical and data receptacles is provided which is used in conjunction with a flat work surface and a channel adjacent at least a portion of the flat work surface. The electrical and data services module has a first portion with at least one aperture therein for access to a power or data receptacle. The module also has a second portion which is slidably disposed in the channel, thereby allowing a user to easily move the module from one location to another in the channel.
The first portion of the module has an angled planar front surface with at least one coplanar aperture therein and at least one receptacle behind the aperture. The first portion also includes a vertical flat back surface, which abuts a vertical wall or modular panel. The bottom of the first portion also includes a substantially flat bottom surface which extends forwardly of the second portion and rests on a work surface when the second portion is disposed in the channel. The second portion has a planar forwardly facing front surface and a flat backwardly facing surface defined by the back surface of the first portion. The second portion also includes an aperture in a bottom surface thereof for receipt of electrical cables connected to the receptacles.
The channel includes a flexible flap, which covers the channel when a module is not placed within the channel. The flap is forced downwardly by the second portion of the module into the channel when a module is placed therein, and provides a xe2x80x9cgripxe2x80x9d which maintains the module securely in the channel.
The module may be provided with a cover that is hingedly mounted to the first portion. The cover has a first, closed position wherein the receptacle is not accessible to the user and a second, open position wherein the receptacle is accessible to the user. When the cover is in the closed position, debris and dust are prevented from entering the module, thereby protecting the receptacles when not in use.
The movable electrical and data services module is advantageous over the prior approaches since the module may be easily moved closer to office equipment, thereby eliminating the need to move such equipment closer to the receptacles or to have the equipment located near the receptacles in potentially awkward positions. The angled front surface allows a user to easily access the receptacles for plugging in the equipment or removing the plugs from the receptacles. Additionally, since the module is used in conjunction with a channel, the module is placed along the outer periphery of the work surface, as opposed to a grommet hole, which would place the module in an inconvenient location closer to the middle of the work surface.
The present invention provides an electrical and data services module for placement within a space defined between a substantially horizontal work surface and a substantially vertical wall surface, including a housing having a first portion and a second portion protruding from an underside of the first portion. The first portion has a substantially flat vertical back surface and a planar front surface being at an acute angle with respect to the back surface, the front surface having at least one aperture therein for receipt of a receptacle.
The present invention further provides a workstation including a substantially flat work surface, a substantially vertical wall surface, a channel between the work surface and the wall surface, the channel abutting at least a portion of an edge of the work surface, and a movable electrical and data services module. The module has a housing including a first portion having a planar front surface with at least one aperture therein, and a second portion protruding from an underside of the first portion and slidably disposed within the channel.
The present invention also provides in combination, a work surface, a substantially vertical wall surface adjacent the work surface, a space defined between the work surface and the wall surface, and a movable electrical and data services module. The module includes a housing having a first portion and a second portion protruding from an underside of the first portion, the first portion having a planar front surface having at least one aperture therein, the second portion slidably disposed within the space.